If you are looking for useful tips on how to trim cat claws and keep them happy, this article is for you. Here, you will get all the help you need for trimming the sharp nails of your cat and keeping the claws clean. Also, you can learn a few tips to groom your cat who has low tolerance while getting their claws trimmed. So, this article can guide you on how to deal with cats and make them calm even when they are in the foul mood. It will also discuss under which circumstances you need to trim your cat’s claws and how to do it correctly. For cat owners who have queries regarding the types of trimmers used for grooming cats, this article covers information on it as well.

How To Trim Cat Claws? Simple And Easy Instructions:

We can understand how moody your at can become while carrying out these grooming tasks. Especially, when some cats prefer to just disappear whenever you hold the clippers in front of them. So, here, you can learn about the personal experience of clients who handled their cat and made them ready for the trimming session. The following information is useful to those cat owners who find it extremely difficult to groom their pets and are looking for easy ways of trimming cat claws. First, let’ check a few important points before following the step-by-step instructions to trim the cat’s claws.

How To Set Your Cat’s Mood Before The Trimming Process?

You must try to make your cat familiar to clippers and other grooming accessories right from their baby phase. Hence, you must start practicing the trimming and other cleaning tasks when he or she is just a kitten. Now, let’s see how to proceed with calming them down and let them offer their claws to trim it.

Hence, to set their mood, choose a quiet room or an outdoor space and select a comfortable chair. Make sure to hide all the grooming appliances and let your cat sit on your lap quietly. You can also select the time when the cat is relaxed or just getting a little sleepy. So, choose the after-meal state for trimming cat nails for best results. In case you are taking your pet outdoor to do the grooming, you must ensure that no other pets or animals or even birds are nearby. Look for the moment when you both are alone and you can just introduce the clipper to your cat. You may hold it like a toy and make him or her comfortable with the grooming kit.

Ways To Get Your Cat Acquainted To The Clipper:

Your first task is to make friends with the cat’s paws and massage it gently with your dry fingers. Make sure that you don’t have any sharp nails as that can annoy the cat and take it out of the relaxed mood. In case your cat doesn’t allow you to come close to his or her claws, try to remain patient and follow the gesture of your cat. Once it allows you to touch and play with the claws, take out the grooming tool like a usual object.

You must observe your cat’s reaction to seeing the clipper. Don’t scare them away by trying to remove the nails right away. Allow your cat to get familiar to the nail cutter and mostly with the sound of it. Remember, any quick attempt to cut the cat’s nails can backfire and your pet may harm you unwillingly.Tip: In order to encourage your cat to come closer to the clipper, place his or her favorite food near it. Also, let your cat sniff the grooming kits with the help of small edible treats on the top of the clippers or cutters.

Look For Your Cat’s Quick Portion And Avoid Cutting It

It’s better to have the requisite knowledge beforehand rather than complaining later; hence, figure out the pink part (quick) of your cat’s nails. This is the portion that is hiding blood vessels and nerves underneath it. Make sure to avoid cutting or clipping up to this part, as it can cause pain to your cat. Of course, you don’t want to hurt your cute little pet and give them excuses to harm you as well. Hence, you must not cut much of the nails on the first attempt and leave the rest for next time.

Unfortunately, if you end up cutting the quick area of your cat accidentally, you can stop the bleeding by applying some styptic powder. So, keep your first aid box handy in case this kind of an incident takes place.

What Should You Not Do During The Cat Claws Trimming Session?.In case your cat resists when you try to clip the nails, never shout at your pet or punish them.Avoid using the clippers when you are yourself not in a good mood or if the cat is already annoyed.Make sure not to trim all the claws of your cat simultaneously and also don’t go near the quick area.

Tip: Never even think about declawing your cat by removing it surgically. It can cause more harm than benefits to your cat’s health. So, you can give them toys or scratching items to scratch on. Also, you can visit an appropriate veterinarian to suggest soft plastic gloves to cover your cat’s claws, if you fail to trim them regularly.

Follow These Simple Instructions To Trim Cat Claws:

Make sure to check the type of nail trimmer suitable for your cat. To name a few, you can check out the scissors, guillotine type trimmer or simple human nail clipper. So, if you are a cat owner and looking forward to instructions on how to trim cat claws, go through these simple steps:

1. Make your cat comfortable

First, take a soft towel and keep it on your lap as you sit on a comfortable chair. However, do this only after convincing your cat that it is nap time or just another relaxing session.

2. Use your forearms gently

Once your cat agrees to come and lie down on your lap, use your forearms and drape it over your cat’s neck gently. You must keep the clipper in your right hand while doing so and let the cat relax a little bit.Note: If you are confused regarding which trimmer type is suitable for your cat, you can choose the guillotine type clipper. Those owners who want to use the human fingernail clipper, you can do so easily as well. However, use a scissors-type trimmer if your cat has got long toenail that is also curling to form a circle. Hold the appropriate trimmer and squeeze its handle to check the easiness to use it.3. Squeeze out the cat’s claws

Next, you must squeeze your cat’s toe gently in order to view the claw in between his or her forefinger and thumb area. These claws are mostly retractile and you can easily see the quick and blood vessels on the cat’s nails. Make sure to cut approximately 2 millimeters of the quick and not go any deeper beyond that.

4. Start trimming

While holding the guillotine nail trimmer, you must keep its cutting blade facing towards you and not the cat. However, the trimmer screws must be facing towards your cat. Also, try to cut the nails from top to bottom and avoid cutting it side to side. To have a cleaner cut, use a trimmer with a sharp edge. You can make use of a nail file for smoothening the nail ends after clipping them.

5. Check the dew claws

While trimming the claws of your cat, you must also check the inner side of his or her toes. This portion is known as the dew claw, which you have to trim as well to groom the entire claws. Also, use the same technique to trim the dewclaw from top to bottom and not side by side.

6. Avoid accidents and take precautions

You may end up cutting too much of the quick portion of your cat’s claw or cut them too short. In that case, take a styptic pencil and dip it into silver nitrate solution. Use it on the injured areas of your cat for quick relief from any pain. Even if you don’t apply any treatment for the nail injuries, wait for 5 minutes. Hopefully, the bleeding will stop on its own or take the cat straight to the veterinary.Hopefully, this article has helped you to understand what you must do while using a clipper on your cat’s claws. Also, you can follow the easy instructions discussed here to clip your cat’s nails conveniently.

Author

Johnson

Hi, fellow readers! My name is Jonathan. I am a 40-year-old pet enthusiast who has been in love with animals for as long as I can remember. While growing up, I had the fortune and luck of having numerous pets in my countryside home. While fun, thrill, and happiness made up the majority of the time with my pets, there was a difficult part too.With my experience in veterinary sciences, I hope my petcare guidelines will be of significant help to you.